Abstract:
A vulnerable time is when a student transfers to a university. Numerous reasons, including
environment changes, added obligations, challenging courses, and others, can cause a significant
rise in stress for many students. The literature has shown the benefit of mindfulness interventions
for different mental health challenges. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of information on their
benefit to medical students in Ethiopia. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of mindfulness
intervention on emotion regulation and stress coping among medical students in Dilla University.
Forty-six participants were allocated for 6-week, psychologist-facilitated groups in a non-random
manner. Scores for the outcome, stress coping, and emotion regulation were subjected to a
repeated measures analysis of variance (two-way mixed ANOVA) over two time periods.
Participants in both groups showed significant improvement over time in stress coping and
emotion regulation measures. In mindfulness group, participants showed a statistically significant
treatment effect in completion of mindfulness intervention. A decrease in emotion dysregulation
over time was observed in both groups and improved stress coping skills were observed. In
conclusion the study indicates that in this Dilla University medical students, mindfulness
intervention is both feasible and shows potential for reducing stress, increasing stress coping
management, and improving their overall emotion regulation skills. Furthermore, University
institutions are encouraged to consider incorporating mindfulness-based courses within their
students' academic curricula.
